TR35 -- Thanking Da Chuang
The power of two: Networking researchers always talk about the power of 'two'. The number two appears in a number of theoretical results -- for example if the switch fabric can be run at twice the line-rate, or if the memories run at twice the speed, or there are two times the number of center-stage elements (e.g. in a Clos Network), then good things happen. It allows us to rigorously say something nice about a router, like --- "your voice packets will face minimum delay". Life is a better indicator of the power of two, and when you find that right complimentary person to work with (or for that matter anything else) it has an even more beneficial and magical effect. 2 and 2 become 22, and nice things tend to happen ...
Thanking Da Chuang (a.k.a. credit where credit is due): In all the work on network memory at Stanford, Nemo and Cisco Systems, there have been many many people who have helped make it successful. But there is one (extremely smart/sharp/behind the scenes/always 'on', and may I add stubborn!) man -- Da Chuang, who deserves a large chunk of the credit in realizing the technology. I have known Da for almost 9 years now, and have had the pleasure of collaborating with him, both at Stanford, and then at Cisco. Da --- this is my small attempt to personally thank you. Network memory, would not have been possible with your (what is that word?) superhuman efforts. You are my hero.